The Swiss electro producer Plastique De Reve's "Allright (Vocal Mix)" is sleek, shiny and constantly changing its shape. The synthetic bass line bumps though the entire piece, but the rest of the arrangement seems to be in a constant state of flux, slowly morphing between dense and diffuse sections while maintaining a consistently mellow mood. The soulful, somewhat androgynous vocals, complement the music's fluid, ambiguous quality, and adds a bit of R&B flavor to a piece firmly rooted in the tradition of European house music.

The Australian pop group Architecture In Helsinki straddles the line between straight-up dance music and shambling, idiosyncratic indie rock on their third album "Places Like This." "Hold Music" is a busy, boisterous blow-out that at various points recalls the twitchy, neurotic polyrhythms of mid-period Talking Heads, the stoned funk of early Parliament, psychedelic disco of Deee-Lite, and the goofy grooves of the B52s. Despite its everything-but-the-kitchen-sink arrangement, the song manages to hold together nicely, and its inspired hooks keep the piece from seeming like nothing more than a steep pileup of eclectic influences.

The German duo Alter Ego are the men behind "Rocker," one of the most iconic dance singles of the decade. "Gary," a cut from their new full-length album "Why Not?!," picks up where "Rocker" left off, with a strong 4/4 beat and thick, multi-tracked layers of heavy synthesizer hooks that transpose hard rock riffs with electronic textures straight out of a vintage sci-fi movie or video game. Though "Gary" is somewhat short on the sleazy vibe of their signature hit, its exaggerated cosmic tone is rather charming in a retro space-age sort of way.